---
id: area-charts
title: Area Charts
description: An area chart is used to visually represent quantity over a period of time.
slug: /help/docs/dashboards/panels/area-charts/
canonical: https://www.sumologic.com/help/docs/dashboards/panels/area-charts/
---
import useBaseUrl from '@docusaurus/useBaseUrl';
An area chart is used to visually represent quantity over a period of time. The quantity is laid out on the vertical axis, and the horizontal axis shows the time period being charted. What distinguishes an area chart from a line chart is the use of shaded regions below the line which better indicates the increase or decrease of volume.
To create an area chart, you must use a query that provides more than one data point in the **Aggregates** tab. Then the line is drawn between the data points to show the change.
For example, you'd use the following query to create an area chart:
```sumo
error | timeslice 1m | count by _timeslice
```
which would produce results such as:
})
## Create an area chart
To add a panel with an area chart:
1. Create or open a Dashboard and click on **Add Panel > Time Series** or **Add Panel > Categorical**.
})
1. Provide a Metric or Log query and press **Enter** for it to run.
1. Once the query runs you will need to flip the chart type to **Area**.
})
1. [Modify the chart](./modify-chart.md) as desired.
1. Click the **Add to Dashboard** button on the top right of the window to add the panel to your dashboard.
})